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Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread

Savory and slightly sweet, this Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread is a favorite copycat recipe that you can easily make and enjoy at home!

A TASTY COPYCAT BREAD RECIPE

I’m a huge fan of the Cheesecake Factory, unfortunately we don’t have one anywhere near us. My favorite there is the brown bread so I worked with a few recipes to be able make it at home now. With easy to find ingredients, this recipe is quick to put together. The hardest part is waiting for it to be done! This copycat recipe will be one you will want to make over and over. It also tastes pretty similar to the one at Outback Steakhouse – just not as much molasses. So if you are craving a tasty and easy homemade bread, then you need to make this Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread!

Sliced Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread on white platter.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is brown bread?

Brown bread is made with whole wheat flour. It is made brown because of molasses as well as the cocoa powder and instant coffee.

What is the difference between sulphured and unsulphured molasses?

Unsulphured molasses is made with matured sugar cane. It’s concentrated and gives you that dark color. Sulphured molasses is made from young sugarcane. Therefore, sulfur dioxide is added to that young sugar cane to preserve it as it goes through the concentration process. For most recipes, you will always be using unsulphured and that is the kind that is most often found in grocery stores.

What if I don’t have a baguette pan?

You can easily order a baguette pan for cheap off of Amazon but you can just place your loaves on sheet pans lined with parchment paper. They will have a slightly different shape, but still taste the same!

Why do you use cocoa powder and instant coffee powder?

This is more or less for bringing out and enhancing the flavor of the bread. You do not really taste these at all in the bread itself so you do not have to worry about it. But to taste more authentic, you do need to include these.

Can I substitute the bread flour with all-purpose flour?

Bread flour is what is going to get you the best bread texture. It has more protein so it produces more gluten which gives you that perfect bread texture and gives the bread its tighter structure. However, you can certainly substitute with all-purpose flour here. It will just come out with slightly different but will still taste good.

How do I store brown bread?

This can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature where it will keep for up to 4-5 days. This can also be frozen, place cooled bread loaves in plastic wrap and then in a large freezer bag. These will keep frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost place in refrigerator overnight then you can place on your countertop to bring to room temperature.

Pinterest image of sliced Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread on platter with rest of loaf behind it.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • warm water
  • active dry yeast
  • granulated sugar
  • whole wheat flour
  • cocoa powder
  • instant coffee powder
  • salt
  • honey
  • molasses
  • salted butter
  • bread flour
  • cooking spray
  • cornmeal or rolled oats
Ingredients needed: warm water, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, sea salt, honey, molasses, ¼ cup unsalted butter, bread flour, cooking spray and cornmeal or rolled oats.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESECAKE FACTORY BROWN BREAD:

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar, stir a few times to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly. While waiting, in a medium-sized bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder, salt and set aside. Once the yeast is bubbly, add the honey, molasses, and melted butter, stir to combine. 

collage of three photos: proofed yeast mixture in bowl of stand mixer; flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder, and salt mixed together in bowl; honey, molasses, and melted butter added to proofed yeast mixture in bowl of stand mixer.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir it in, scrape down the sides as needed. Add 2 ½ cups of the bread flour and stir it in until combined. At low speed continue to add bread flour a little at a time until the dough comes off the sides of the mixer, if it is still sticking some to the very bottom of the mixer that’s okay. (How much bread flour you use depends on how humid it is out that day.) Turn the speed up to medium-high and knead the dough for 6-7 minutes. If you see the dough start to stick to the sides again, add a Tablespoon of the bread flour at a time until it is clean again. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Add the dough and spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it double in size, about 45-90 minutes.  

collage of three photos: flour mixture added to wet ingredients; bread dough in bowl of stand mixer finished being combined; overhead photo of risen bread dough in bowl of stand mixer.

Punch down the dough in the bowl. On a lightly floured clean work surface divide the dough into 4ths. 

collage of two photos: hand punching down risen dough; dough separated into four dough balls.

Using your hands, roll them out into long logs. Place them into the sections of a baguette pan. Spray the tops of the loaves with more cooking spray and sprinkle with the cornmeal or rolled oats. Slightly press it in so it sticks. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel again and let proof for 30 minutes, they should almost double in size again. While proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F. Score your bread 4-5 times and place the baguette pan directly into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Bake until the outside of the bread is no longer shiny and is crusty looking. 

collage of two photos: four uncooked loaves of bread on a bread pan; a hand scoring the bread dough on the pan.

You can check the temperature the bread, if it has reached an internal temperature of 200-210°F it’s done.

Overhead of two finished loaves of Cheesecake Factory Brown bread on woven platter

Let cool slightly, cut and serve!

Butter spread on slice of Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread.

WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES?

Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread recipe

Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread

Savory and slightly sweet, this Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread is a favorite copycat recipe that you can easily make and enjoy at home!
5 from 28 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time:: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4 loaves

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar, stir a few times to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly.
  • While waiting, in a medium-sized bowl stir together the whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder, salt and set aside.
  • Once the yeast is bubbly, add the honey, molasses, and melted butter, stir to combine.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stir to combine. Scrape down the sides as needed.
  • Add 2 ½ cups of the bread flour and stir it in until combined.
  • At low speed continue to add bread flour a little at a time until the dough comes off the sides of the mixer, if it is still sticking some to the very bottom of the mixer that’s okay.
  • Turn the speed up to medium-high and knead the dough for 6-7 minutes. If you see the dough start to stick to the sides again, add a tablespoon of the bread flour at a time until it is clean again.
  • Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Add the dough and spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it double in size, about 45-90 minutes.
  • Punch down the dough in the bowl. On a lightly floured clean work surface divide the dough into 4ths.
  • Using your hands, roll them out into long logs. Place them into the sections of a baguette pan. (See notes below if you don't have a baguette pan).
  • Spray the tops of the loaves with more cooking spray and sprinkle with the cornmeal or rolled oats. Slightly press it in so it sticks. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel again and let proof for 30 minutes, they should almost double in size again.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Score your bread 4-5 times and place the baguette pan directly into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Bake until the outside of the bread is no longer shiny and is crusty looking.
  • You can take the temperature of the bread, if it has reached an internal temperature of 200-210°F it’s done. Let cool slightly, cut and serve!

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • These can be frozen, see my tips above.
  • Cornmeal or oats can be used, it is your preference.
  • Make sure your water is between 105-110 degrees F for the yeast to proof.
  • You do not have to have a baguette pan, you can place these on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape them with your hands.
  • You do not need a stand mixer for this although it makes it easier. You will just have to knead the dough by hand instead of using the dough attachment on a mixer. 
  • Sometimes if it is very humid in a house, you will need a little more bread flour so keep this in mind. 
Course: Breads
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 927kcal | Carbohydrates: 177g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 607mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 40g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’m leaving this a 5 star b/c I’m always trying bread recipes and have equal fails and successes and this was a success while being super easy. I also pay exorbitant prices for Cheesecake Factory bread at the local grocery store. My only tweak will be to add some salt. I think it needs salt added to the bread. not sure if it will affect the baking. I will see. I thought the salted butter would be enough but its not really enough for my taste.